{"id":8219,"date":"2023-10-21T18:50:11","date_gmt":"2023-10-21T17:50:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lakebeyond.com\/?p=8219"},"modified":"2023-10-21T18:50:11","modified_gmt":"2023-10-21T17:50:11","slug":"how-was-lake-baikal-created","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lakebeyond.com\/how-was-lake-baikal-created\/","title":{"rendered":"How Was Lake Baikal Created"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Introduction<\/h2>\n

Lake Baikal is the world’s largest and deepest freshwater lake. It lies in southeastern Siberia, between the Russian territories of Buryatia and Irkutsk Oblast. Baikal is considered to be the oldest lake in the world, with an estimated age of 25 million years. It is also the most voluminous lake in the world, containing 20% of the world’s fresh water. Despite its age and size, however, many aspects of the lake’s origin remain a mystery. This article examines the various theories proposed to explain how Lake Baikal was created and provides insight into the debate surrounding its origin story.<\/p>\n

Tectonic Theories<\/h2>\n

One of the most commonly accepted theories for the creation of Lake Baikal is a tectonic one. According to this theory, the lake was formed during the tectonic-volcanic activity in the region, which occurred some 25 million years ago. This activity led to the formation of the Central Siberian Plateau and the Baikal rift zone. The rift zone is a deep depression in the Earth’s crust that was filled with water, which eventually formed the lake. Furthermore, the rift zone has been expanding ever since, leading to the lake’s enlargement. <\/p>\n

Glacio-Isostatic Theory<\/h2>\n

Another theory suggests that Lake Baikal was formed as a result of glacial-isostatic processes. According to this hypothesis, the lake was created when a large area of ice melted, thus altering the Earth’s surface. This process led to the formation of large depressions in the strip rocks. These depressions were then filled by water and formed the lake.<\/p>\n

Uplift Theory<\/h2>\n

The uplift theory postulates that the lake was formed by uplift of the Earth’s surface. This process occurred as a result of the accumulation of molten rock beneath the Earth’s surface, leading to its gradual elevation. This uplift resulted in large depressions in the Earth’s surface, which were then filled with water and created the lake.<\/p>\n

Earth Crustal Displacement Theory<\/h2>\n